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Saturday, April 21, 2012

New Hyundai i20 iGen: life is change and change is fluidic

Hyundai i20, the premium hatchback from the Koreans got a major facelift recently. Was it really needed? Was the i20 not selling in number it wished? These and similar other questions bother the mind of those who know the in and out of the auto industry. Despite of selling in more than expected numbers, the Hyundai i20 underwent a makeover, a serious one, and got a new name Hyundai iGen i20 and new tag line ‘live the uber life’. It must be the new Maruti Swift that has forced the Korean giant to go for it, said sources. However, it is sure that the new i20 has no doubt infused a fresh life in i20. Let us see what really are the changes Hyundai has worked out in the new iGen i20.

New Hyundai i20 iGen exteriors: the Fluidic Funda

Makeovers certainly upgrade a car and present it in a fresh shape to the car buyers who always fumble for what has been and what has not been changed. In the new i20 which is the latest avatar of Hyundai’s ‘fluidic’ design philosophy after the fluidic saga began with the Hyundai Verna Fluidic and was carried over to the Hyundai Sonata and small car Eon as well. However, the question that arises in the mind of car buyers is that what was wrong with the earlier generation i20. If the new Hyundai i20 iGen looks stunning, was the earlier one ugly looking? Moreover, the changes are more so dramatic. As usual, the grill, logo, headlamps and fog lamps became the scapegoat and received the change. However, fluidic lines at the front are worth mentioning.

New Hyundai i20 iGen interiors: new features everywhere not a bit of old i20 inside

Hyundai i20 already had class leading interiors when it first came in 2009. Features like start stop without key much in consonance with Nissan Micra and its clone Renault Pulse, light that switch on when it is dark, wipers that sense water and clean it immediately from the windscreen and most notably the parking camera that will be great for those who are first time drivers and experience greater difficult in parking it. In all, there are 17 features that now make the new i20 stunning. Though there has been an extension of overall length but due to unchanged wheelbase the inside space remains the same.

New Hyundai i20 iGen ride and handling: miles to go before i20 runs out fuel

Finally, it’s the VTVT 1.2 petrol engine makes its space under the bonnet of Hyundai i20 giving it the kick and enhanced fuel economy. The diesel motor in new i20 remains the same most powerful in its segment with 1.4 L engine that has now has a 6-speed transmission rather than a five speed one earlier. As per the road tests and reviews, the car inherits the same instability at corners at high speeds. However, overall handling of the car has improved. The new i20 now returns a little more mileage (18.5 kmpl) on petrol similar to Maruti Swift and the diesel now delivers around 22 kmpl.